JP7595370B2 - Product delivery system - Google Patents

Description

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a product delivery system that delivers products stored by a vendor to a customer.

In recent years, customer service has also been moving away from face-to-face interaction to prevent the spread of infections such as influenza or coronavirus. For example, in the field of cleaning services, a method has been proposed in which customers' laundry is collected and handed over via lockers (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or an unmanned delivery system installed in a store is used (see, for example, Patent Document 2). With such a method of providing a cleaning service, the company does not need to deal directly with customers when collecting the laundry or handing over the cleaned products.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-150000 JP 2004-178282 A

However, in the method of providing cleaning services using lockers in Patent Document 1, the number of lockers is limited, and it is not possible to provide many products. In addition, in the method of providing cleaning services using an unmanned delivery system in Patent Document 2, there is a risk that the picking machine will drop the product, which creates a problem in terms of delivering the product to the customer reliably. In addition, it is not possible to deliver multiple products at once.

In view of the above problems, one embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a non-face-to-face product delivery system that is easy for customers to use.

A product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a hanger conveyor that stores products by hanging them between two partitions and moves the products, a delivery device that is installed adjacent to the hanger conveyor and has a delivery port through which the products are delivered, and a control device that controls the hanger conveyor and the delivery device, the delivery device further having a sensor that measures the distance between the two partitions and generates distance data, the delivery port is provided with a first door, and the control device controls the first door so that the delivery port has an opening width that corresponds to the distance data.

The opening width may change in stages.

The hanger conveyor may include a first reader that acquires product identification information from a product identifier attached to the product, and the control device may generate a product storage identifier that includes the product identification information and transmit the product storage identifier to the customer's information terminal.

The delivery device may include a second reader that acquires identification information of the position where the product is hung from the product storage identifier, and the control device may control the hanger conveyor to move the product to the position of the first door based on the identification information.

The product delivery system further includes a pickup device that picks up the customer's products before the product vendor provides the service, and the pickup device includes a box body with an input port through which the products are inserted, a second door provided at the input port, a flat plate portion installed inside the box body and on which the customer places the product from the input port, side wall portions installed below the flat plate portion along two opposing sides of the flat plate portion, and a collection box from which the products are collected, and when the second door is closed with the product placed on the flat plate portion, the flat plate portion may be tilted so as to drop the product into the collection box.

The product delivery system further includes a pickup device that picks up the customer's goods before the service is provided by the product vendor, and the pickup device includes a box body with an input port for inserting the goods, a second door provided at the input port, a flat plate portion installed inside the box body and on which the customer places the goods from the input port, a transport conveyor installed below the flat plate portion and transporting the goods, and a collection box connected to the transport conveyor and in which the goods are collected by the vendor, and when the second door is closed with the goods placed on the flat plate portion, the goods fall onto the transport conveyor, and the goods are transported to the collection box by the transport conveyor.

The product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention can deliver only the desired product to a customer and prevent the delivery of the wrong product.

1A and 1B are a front view and a top view illustrating a configuration of a product delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device of the product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between distance data generated by a sensor and the opening width of a delivery gate in a delivery device of a product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a delivery device of a product delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a take-off device of a product delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a take-off device of a product delivery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and anything that a person skilled in the art could easily come up with by making appropriate modifications while maintaining the gist of the invention is naturally included within the scope of the present invention. Also, in order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part in a schematic manner compared to the actual embodiment. However, the shapes shown in the drawings are merely an example and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

In this specification, "above" does not only refer to a situation in which something is placed directly above an object or region, but also includes a situation in which something is placed with another object or region between them. The same applies to the term "below." Furthermore, terms such as "above" and "below" indicate the relative hierarchical relationship between objects or regions, and do not refer to an absolute hierarchical relationship.

In this specification, expressions such as "α includes A, B, or C," "α includes any of A, B, and C," and "α includes one selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C" do not exclude cases where α includes multiple combinations of A through C, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, these expressions do not exclude cases where α includes other elements.

First Embodiment
A product delivery system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. For convenience, the following description may take a cleaning service as an example. That is, a cleaning service in which a business entity collects a customer's goods (e.g., clothing, etc.) and delivers the cleaned goods to the customer as goods using the product delivery system 10 may be taken as an example, but the use of the product delivery system 10 is not limited to cleaning services. The product delivery system 10 can also be used for other purposes besides cleaning services, such as delivery lockers, hotel cloakrooms, or clothing warehouses.

[1. Overview of the configuration of the product delivery system 10]
1A and 1B are a front view and a top view for explaining the configuration of a product delivery system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The product delivery system 10 includes a hanger conveyor 100, a delivery device 200, and a control device 300. The hanger conveyor 100 can hang a product 800 and move the hung product 800. That is, the hanger conveyor 100 can hang and store the product 800 and move the product 800 to a predetermined position as necessary. The delivery device 200 is installed adjacent to the hanger conveyor 100. Although not shown, a partition is installed on the side of the delivery device 200, and the area is divided into a product storage area where the product 800 is stored by the hanger conveyor 100 and a product delivery area where the product 800 is delivered to a customer by the delivery device 200. In the product delivery area, the customer can take out the product 800 suspended from the hanger conveyor 100 via the delivery device 200. In Fig. 1 (A) and Fig. 1 (B), the control device 300 is installed near the hanger conveyor 100, but the installation position of the control device 300 is not limited thereto. The control device 300 may be installed in the product storage area or in the product delivery area. The control device 300 is communicatively connected to the hanger conveyor 100 and the delivery device 200 so as to be able to control the hanger conveyor 100 and the delivery device 200. The control device 300 may be connected to the hanger conveyor 100 and the delivery device 200 by wire or wirelessly.

[2. Configuration of the hanger conveyor 100]
The hanger conveyor 100 includes a conveyor rail 110, a conveyor rack 120, and a reader 130. The conveyor rail 110 movably supports the conveyor rack 120. Therefore, the conveyor rack 120 can move along the conveyor rail 110. Since the products 800 are hung from the conveyor rack 120, the conveyor rail 110 is supported by a conveyor rail support part 111 so as to maintain a certain height from the floor surface. Note that the conveyor rail support part 111 may be configured to be installed on the floor surface, or may be configured to be fixed to the ceiling surface or wall surface.

The conveyor rack 120 includes a plurality of conveyor fittings 121, and two adjacent conveyor fittings 121 are connected by a connecting movable part 122. The connecting movable part 122 has a drive mechanism and can move along the conveyor rail 110 by the drive mechanism. That is, in the conveyor rack 120, the conveyor fittings 121 can move by the connecting movable part 122 moving along the conveyor rail. The product 800 is hung on the conveyor rack 120 using a hook-shaped clasp. For example, if the product 800 is clothing, the product 800 is hung on the conveyor rack 120 using a hanger. Therefore, each of the multiple conveyor fittings 121 includes one or more openings 123 for hanging the product 800. The shape of the opening 123 is, for example, a polygon, a circle, or an ellipse, but is not limited to these. Note that each of the multiple openings 123 is assigned opening identification information, and the opening 123 can be identified from the opening identification information.

The reader 130 is installed on the upper part of the conveyor rail support part 111 and can acquire product identification information from the product 800. Specifically, the reader 130 can acquire product identification information from the product identifier 810 attached to the product 800 suspended in the opening 123 passing through a predetermined position. The product identification information includes information on the product 800, the customer, or the vendor. The acquired product identification information is transmitted to the control device 300 together with the opening identification information of the opening 123 passing through a predetermined position. For example, a barcode, a two-dimensional code, a QR code (registered trademark), or an RFID can be used as the product identifier 810. When a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a QR code (registered trademark) is used as the product identifier 810, a printed matter on which the barcode, two-dimensional code, or a QR code (registered trademark) is printed may be attached to the product 800. When the product identifier 810 is a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a QR code (registered trademark), a barcode reader, a two-dimensional code reader, or a QR code reader can be used as the reader 130. Furthermore, if the product identifier 810 is an RFID, an RFID reader can be used as the reader 130. Furthermore, the reader 130 may include a camera, determine the product identifier 810 in an image captured by the camera, and acquire product identification information from the determined product identifier 810. There may be not only one reader 130, but also multiple readers 130. By acquiring product identification information of the product 800 passing a predetermined position from multiple directions, the accuracy of the product identification information can be improved. Furthermore, if there are multiple readers 130, the product identification information of the product 800 may be acquired at multiple positions. Note that the position where the reader 130 is installed is not limited to the upper part of the conveyor rail support part 111. The reader 130 may be installed on the ceiling surface, floor surface, or wall surface.

[3. Configuration of the delivery device 200]
The delivery device 200 includes a box 210, a delivery port 220, a display unit 230, a reader 240, and a sensor 250. The delivery port 220, the display unit 230, and the reader 240 are arranged in front of the box 210, and the delivery port 220 is provided with a door 221 that can be opened and closed. When the door 221 is opened, the hanger conveyor 100 and the product 800 can be seen from the delivery port 220. That is, the customer can take out the product 800 stored on the hanger conveyor 100 from the delivery port 220.

The display unit 230 can display a method for operating the delivery device 200. For example, a liquid crystal display or an OLED display can be used as the display unit 230. The display unit 230 may also include an input interface such as a touch panel. The customer can operate the touch panel of the display unit 230 to open and close the door 221 of the delivery gate 220.

The reader 240 can acquire product storage information from the product storage identifier displayed on the customer's information terminal. Details of the product storage information will be described later. The reader 240 may be any device that corresponds to the identifier. For example, a barcode reader, a two-dimensional code reader, or a QR code reader may be used as the reader 240. The product storage information acquired by the reader 240 is transmitted to the control device 300.

If a printed matter (e.g., a deposit slip) with an identifier printed on it is issued when picking up an item, the reader 240 can also obtain customer information or request information from the identifier on the printed matter. In this case, the customer information or request information obtained by the reader 240 is transmitted to the control device 300.

In the product delivery system 10, the product 800 delivered to the customer is separated from other products by the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2. The sensor 250 is arranged on the back of the box body 210 and can measure the distance between the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2 and generate distance data. For example, the sensor 250 measures a first distance from the sensor 250 to the first hanging partition board 500-1 and a second distance from the sensor 250 to the second hanging partition board 500-2, and generates distance data between the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2 based on the first distance and the second distance. Markers may be provided on the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2, and the distance may be measured based on the markers. In addition, the material of the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2 may be different from the material of the hanging clasp that hangs the product 800, and the distance may be measured based on the reflectance of the material. For example, a laser range finder or the like may be used as the sensor 250, but is not limited to this. The distance data generated by the sensor 250 is transmitted to the control device 300.

4. Configuration of the control device 300
The control device 300 can control the hanger conveyor 100 and the delivery device 200. Here, the configuration of the control device 300 will be described with reference to FIG.

2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control device 300 of the product delivery system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 300 includes an information processing unit 310, a conveyor control unit 320, a door control unit 330, and a storage unit 340. Each of the information processing unit 310, the conveyor control unit 320, and the door control unit 330 can function by executing a program on a computer. The computer includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a random access memory (RAM), or a read-only memory (ROM). The program is stored, for example, in the RAM or the ROM. The storage unit 340 is a storage that can store data or information. For example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory can be used as the storage unit 340. The storage unit 340 stores a product storage database 341, a customer database 342, and a trader database 343.

The product delivery system 10 can also communicate with a customer's information terminal (customer information terminal 910) and a vendor's information terminal (vendor information terminal 920) via the network NW. The network NW is, for example, but is not limited to, the Internet or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Each of the customer information terminal 910 and vendor information terminal 920 is, for example, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, or a personal computer.

The information processing unit 310 can receive the product identification information and the opening identification information, and generate product storage information that links the product identification information with the opening identification information. The information processing unit 310 can also generate an identifier that represents the product storage information. The product storage information is organized into a database and stored in the memory unit 340 as the product storage database 341.

When a trader uses the product delivery system 10, the trader hangs the product 800 with the product identifier 810 on the opening 123 of the conveyor rack 120. At this point, the product 800 is not linked to the position of the opening 123 from which the product 800 is hung. When the trader completes the work of hanging the product 800 on the conveyor rack 120, the conveyor rack 120 moves, and the reader 130 acquires the product identification information from the product identifier 810 as described above. The control device 300 receives the opening identification information of the opening 123 at the predetermined position from which the product identification information was acquired together with the product identification information, and the information processing unit 310 generates product storage information that associates the product identification information with the opening identification information. The generated product storage information includes the product identification information including the information of the trader. Therefore, the information processing unit 310 can search for the information of the trader in the product storage information using the trader database 343 and identify the trader who stored the product 800. The product delivery system 10 may transmit product storage information to the vendor information terminal 920 of the identified vendor to notify the vendor that the product 800 is being stored.

The information processing unit 310 also generates a product storage identifier that includes the product storage information. The product storage information includes product identification information that includes customer information. Therefore, the information processing unit 310 can search for customer information in the product storage information using the customer database 342, and identify the customer to whom the product 800 is to be handed over. The product storage identifier is sent to the customer information terminal 910 of the identified customer. The customer can remove the product 800 from the hanger conveyor 100 by displaying the product storage identifier on the customer information terminal 910 and having the reader 240 of the delivery device 200 read the product storage identifier.

When the reader 240 of the delivery device 200 reads the identifier of the printed matter, customer information or request information can be obtained. Therefore, this information can be searched for using the customer database 342 to identify the customer and product 800 to be delivered.

The conveyor control unit 320 can control the movement of the conveyor rack 120 of the hanger conveyor 100. In other words, the conveyor control unit 320 can generate a conveyor control signal that controls the movement of the conveyor rack 120 and transmit the conveyor control signal to the hanger conveyor 100.

As described above, in order for the reader 130 to obtain the product identification information of the product 800, it is necessary to move the conveyor rack 120. Therefore, when the trader completes the work of hanging the product 800 on the conveyor rack 120, the conveyor control unit 320 can generate a conveyor control signal that moves the conveyor rack 120 so that the conveyor rack 120 makes a full circle along the conveyor rail 110. In addition, when the product 800 is delivered to the customer, it is necessary to move the product 800 to the position of the delivery port 220 of the delivery device 200 (product delivery position). Therefore, when the control device 300 receives the product storage information acquired by the reader 240 of the delivery device 200, the conveyor control unit 320 searches the received product storage information using the product storage database and identifies the opening identification information linked to the product storage information. In addition, the conveyor control unit 320 can generate a conveyor control signal that moves the position of the opening 123 included in the identified opening identification information to the product delivery position.

The door control unit 330 can control the opening and closing of the door 221 of the delivery port 220 of the delivery device 200. In other words, the door control unit 330 can generate a door control signal that controls the opening and closing of the door 221 and transmit the door control signal to the delivery device 200.

In the product delivery system 10, the opening width of the delivery gate 220 can be changed stepwise or continuously depending on the size or number of the products 800. When the product 800 moves to the delivery position by the customer's operation of the delivery device 200, the sensor 250 of the delivery device 200 generates distance data between the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2. When the control device 300 receives the distance data, the door control unit 330 judges the distance data and determines the opening width of the delivery gate 220. The door control unit 330 generates a door control signal that opens the door 221 so that the delivery gate 220 has the determined opening width.

Here, the relationship between the distance data and the opening width will be described with reference to Figures 3(A) to 3(F). Figures 3(A) to 3(F) are schematic diagrams explaining the relationship between the distance data d generated by the sensor 250 and the opening width w of the delivery gate 220 in the delivery device 200 of the product delivery system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

3(A) to 3(D) show the manner in which the opening width w of the delivery port 220 of the delivery device 200 changes stepwise. As shown in FIG. 3(A), when the distance data d satisfies the formula d≦d _th (d _th represents a preset threshold value), the door 221 is controlled so that the opening width w of the delivery port 220 has a first opening width w ₁ as shown in FIG. 3(B). Also, when the distance data d satisfies the formula d>d _th as shown in FIG. 3(C), the door 221 is controlled so that the opening width w of the delivery port 220 has a second opening width w ₂ (w ₂ >w ₁ ) as shown in FIG. 3(D). In the delivery device 200, the door 221 is opened to have an opening width w that matches the size or number of the products 800, so that the customer can take out only the desired products 800 from the hanger conveyor 100 through the delivery port 220. Furthermore, in the product delivery system 10, the product 800 is shielded and separated from other products by the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2, which prevents other products from being taken out by mistake or from being stolen.

In Figures 3 (A) to 3 (D), the delivery port 220 has two stages of opening width (first opening width _w1 and second opening width _w2 ), but the door 221 may be controlled so that the delivery port 220 has three or more stages of opening width.

Figures 3(E) and 3(F) show a state in which the opening width w of the delivery port 220 of the delivery device 200 changes continuously. As shown in Figures 3(E) and 3(F), the opening width w of the delivery port 220 may be an opening width w(d) with the distance data d as a variable. That is, the door 221 is controlled to have an opening width w(d) corresponding to the distance data d. Even in this case, the door 221 is opened to have an opening width w(d) according to the size or number of the products 800, so that the customer can take out only the desired products 800 from the hanger conveyor 100 through the delivery port 220.

As described above, the product delivery system 10 can adjust the opening width of the delivery opening 220 of the delivery device 200 according to the size or number of the products 800 to be delivered to the customer. In addition, since the products 800 are separated from other products by the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2, the customer can take out only the desired product 800 from the delivery opening 220. Therefore, even if the product delivery system 10 is a non-face-to-face type, it can prevent the wrong product from being delivered to the customer. In addition, the product delivery system 10 can deliver multiple products 800 to the customer at once by adjusting the distance between the first hanging partition board 500-1 and the second hanging partition board 500-2.

<Modification of the First Embodiment>
4(A1) to 4(C2), the transfer device 200A to the transfer device 200C, which are modified examples of the transfer device 200 of the product transfer system 10 according to the first embodiment, will be described. In the following, when the configurations of the transfer devices 200A to 200C are the same as the configuration of the transfer device 200, the description of the configurations of the transfer devices 200A to 200C may be omitted.

<Modification 1>
4(A1) and 4(A2) are schematic diagrams for explaining the configuration of the delivery device 200A of the product delivery system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 4(A1) and FIG. 4(A2) respectively show the door 221A of the delivery device 200A in a closed state and an open state. The door 221A includes four slide parts 221A_a to 221A_d. The slide parts 221A_a to 221A_d each extend vertically (perpendicular to the ground) and are connected in this order (see FIG. 4(A1)). In addition, the slide parts 221A_a to 221A_d are each provided rotatably around the lower part and are configured to overlap each other. Therefore, the delivery device 200A can open the door 221A by sliding the slide parts 221A_a to 221A_d so that they overlap each other while rotating (see FIG. 4(A2)). The rotation angles of the sliding parts 221A_a to 221A_d may be different from each other. The rotation angles of the sliding parts 221A_a to 221A_d can be adjusted according to the size or number of the products 800 to be delivered to the customer. The number of sliding parts of the door 221A is not limited to four. The number of sliding parts of the door 221A may be determined according to the size of the delivery opening 220 of the delivery device 200A.

Even when the door 221A is open, the delivery device 200A can shield the lower part of the delivery opening 220 or narrow the width of the lower part of the delivery opening 220. Therefore, when a customer takes out the product 800 from the delivery opening 220, the customer can be prevented from entering the interior through the delivery opening 220.

<Modification 2>
4(B1) and 4(B2) are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the delivery device 200B of the product delivery system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 4(B1) and FIG. 4(B2) respectively show the door 221B of the delivery device 200B in a closed state and an open state. The door 221B includes a first slide portion 221B_1a to 221B_1c, a second slide portion 221B_2a to 221B_2c, a third slide portion 221B_3a to 221B_3c, and a fourth slide portion 221B_4a to 221B_4c, and can shield the delivery opening 220 (i.e., the state in which the door 221B is closed, see FIG. 4(B1)). The first slide portions 221B-1a to 221B_1c each extend vertically and are connected in this order. The first sliding parts 221B_1a to 221B_1c are provided so as to be slidable in the vertical direction and can overlap each other. The second sliding parts 221B_2a to 221B_2c, the third sliding parts 221B_3a to 221B_3c, and the fourth sliding parts 221B_4a to 221B_4c are also configured similarly to the first sliding parts 221B_1a to 221B_1c. However, the first sliding parts 221B_1a to 221B_1c, the second sliding parts 221B_2a to 221B_2c, the third sliding parts 221B_3a to 221B_3c, and the fourth sliding parts 221B_4a to 221B_4c can slide independently. The number of sliding parts of the door 221B is not particularly limited. The number of slide parts of the door 221B may be determined according to the size of the delivery opening 220 of the delivery device 200B.

The door 221B can be opened by vertically sliding the first sliding portion 221B_1a to 221B_1c, the second sliding portion 221B_2a to 221B_2c, the third sliding portion 221B_3a to 221B_3c, and the fourth sliding portion 221B_4a to 221B_4c (see FIG. 4B2). Which of the first sliding portion 221B_1a to 221B_1c, the second sliding portion 221B_2a to 221B_2c, the third sliding portion 221B_3a to 221B_3c, and the fourth sliding portion 221B_4a to 221B_4c slides is determined according to the size or number of the products 800 to be delivered to the customer. This allows the opening width of the delivery opening 220 to be adjusted. In addition, the lower part of the delivery opening 220 can be shielded by the first sliding parts 221B_1a to 221B_1c, the second sliding parts 221B_2a to 221B_2c, the third sliding parts 221B_3a to 221B_3c, or the fourth sliding parts 221B_4a to 221B_4c that have been slid. The height at which the lower part of the delivery opening 220 is shielded may be determined according to the height of the customer detected by a camera (not shown), for example.

In the delivery device 200B, even when the door 221B is open, the lower part of the delivery opening 220 can be shielded. In addition, the height of the shielding of the lower part of the delivery opening 220 can be adjusted. Therefore, when a customer takes out the product 800 from the delivery opening 220, the customer can be prevented from entering the inside through the delivery opening 220.

<Modification 3>
4(C1) and 4(C2) are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the delivery device 200C of the product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 4(C1) and FIG. 4(C2) respectively show the door 221C of the delivery device 200C in a closed state and an open state. The door 221C includes first slide parts 221C_1a and 221C_1b and a second slide part 221C_2, and can shield the delivery opening 220 (i.e., the state in which the door 221C is closed, see FIG. 4(C1)). The first slide parts 221C_1a and 221C_1b each extend vertically and are connected horizontally (in a direction parallel to the ground). The second slide part 221C_2 is provided vertically slidably at the lower part of the delivery opening 220. At least one of the first slide parts 221C_1a and 221C_1b is connected to the second slide part 221C_2. The number of the first slide parts of the door 221C is not particularly limited. The number of the first slide parts of the door 221C may be determined according to the size of the delivery opening 220 of the delivery device 200C.

The door 221C can be opened by the first sliding parts 221C_1a and 221C_1b sliding horizontally while the second sliding part 221C_2 sliding vertically (see FIG. 4(C2)). The first sliding parts 221C_1a and 221C_1b slide horizontally and can adjust the opening width of the delivery opening 220 according to the size or number of products 800 to be delivered to the customer. The second sliding part 221C_2 slides vertically and can cover the lower part of the delivery opening 220. The second sliding part 221C may adjust the height of the cover of the lower part of the delivery opening 220 according to the height of the customer detected by a camera (not shown), for example.

In the delivery device 200C, even when the door 221C is open, the lower part of the delivery opening 220 can be shielded. In addition, the height of the shielding of the lower part of the delivery opening 220 can be adjusted. Therefore, when a customer takes out the product 800 from the delivery opening 220, the customer can be prevented from entering the inside through the delivery opening 220.

Second Embodiment
With reference to FIG. 5(A) to FIG. 5(C), a product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The product delivery system according to this embodiment includes not only the hanger conveyor 100, the delivery device 200, and the control device 300 described above, but also a take-up device 400 that takes up the items of the customer for whom the cleaning service is performed. In the cleaning service, it is preferable to not only deliver the items but also take up the items in a non-face-to-face manner. Therefore, the product delivery system according to this embodiment includes the take-up device 400 that is not face-to-face. The take-up device 400 is connected to the control device 300 and is controlled by the control device 300. Therefore, by including the take-up device 400 in the product delivery system, the trader can use the non-face-to-face product delivery system to carry out a series of processes from the collection of the items to the provision of the items.

Figures 5(A) to 5(C) are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the take-off device 400 of the product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5(A) is a schematic diagram illustrating the external configuration of the take-off device 400. As shown in Figure 5(A), the take-off device 400 includes a box body 410, an input port 420, and an operation unit 430. The input port 420 and the operation unit 430 are arranged in front of the box body 410, and the input port 420 is provided with a door that can be opened and closed by operating the operation unit 430. A customer can open the door of the input port 420 by operating the operation unit 430, and after inserting an item into the box body 410 from the input port 420, close the door of the input port 420 by operating the operation unit 430. This allows the take-off device 400 to take over the customer's items. Note that when the door of the input port 420 is closed, the door of the input port 420 may be locked. Locking the door of the deposit slot 420 helps prevent theft of customers' items.

The operation unit 430 can be used to not only open and close the door of the input port 420, but also to input customer information or service content information. For this reason, the operation unit 430 may be equipped with a display interface such as a display or an input interface such as a touch panel. For example, the customer information may be the customer's name or membership number, and the service content information may be, but is not limited to, the type of item or the type of processing of the item such as stain removal. In addition, the collection device 400 may be provided with an output unit (not shown), and a printed material showing the input customer information or service content information may be output from the output unit.

The customer information or service content information may be obtained from the customer's information terminal. For example, the customer inputs the customer information or service content information in advance using an application installed on the customer's information terminal. The input customer information or service content information is converted into an identifier including this information, and can be displayed on the display screen of the customer's information terminal. Although not shown, the customer information or service content information can be obtained by reading the identifier displayed on the customer's information terminal using a reader provided in the collection device 400.

5(B) and 5(C) are schematic diagrams showing the internal configuration of the box 410 of the take-out device 400. In FIG. 5(B) and FIG. 5(C), for convenience of explanation, some components are shown with dotted lines so that they are transparent, but in reality they do not have to be transparent. As shown in FIG. 5(B), the take-out device 400 further includes a flat plate portion 440, a support portion 441, a cylinder 442, a side wall portion 443, an imaging portion 450, and a recovery box 460. The flat plate portion 440 is supported at a certain height from the floor surface by the support portion 441 and the cylinder 442. The flat plate portion 440 is installed at the same position as the lower portion of the input port 420 or at a lower position than the lower portion of the input port 420. One end of the flat plate portion 440 is attached to the box 410 by a hinge or hinge so as to be rotatable. A partition may be provided inside the input port 420 so that the space is divided. In this case, one of the partitions is flat plate section 440. A customer can open the door of insertion slot 420 and place an item on flat plate section 440. Furthermore, since flat plate section 440 has a flat surface with a certain area, a customer can not only place an item on flat plate section 440, but also perform a specified task on the item on flat plate section 440. For example, a customer can place an item on flat plate section 440 and attach a printed matter showing customer information or service content information to the item.

When the door of the insertion slot 420 is closed, the imaging unit 450 captures an image of the item placed on the flat plate unit 440 and generates item image data. The control device 300 receives the item image data from the imaging unit 450 and the customer information or service content information from the operation unit 430, and can generate customer request information to which these data and information are linked. The customer request information may be transmitted to the information terminal of the business. This allows the business to know that a service has been requested by the customer. The control device 300 may also determine whether or not there is a printed matter in the item image data. When it is determined that there is no printed matter on the item (i.e., no printed matter is attached to the item), an alert may be issued from the operation unit 430. The alert allows the customer to know that there is no printed matter attached to the item.

When the door of the input port 420 is closed, the cylinder 442 contracts so that the flat plate portion 440 is tilted, as shown in FIG. 5(C). A collection box 460 is installed toward the lower end of the tilted flat plate portion 440. Therefore, the items placed on the flat plate portion 440 slide along the tilted flat plate portion 440 and fall into the collection box 460. At this time, the side wall portions 443 installed along the two opposing sides of the flat plate portion 440 function as guides for the sliding down items. Therefore, the collection device 400 can reliably drop the items into the collection box 460.

The imaging unit 450 may also capture an image of an object on the inclined flat plate portion 440 and generate image data. In this case, the control device 300 can receive the image data from the imaging unit 450 and determine whether an object is present in the image. When it is determined that no object is present on the inclined flat plate portion 440, the control device 300 may control the cylinder 442 to extend.

The inclination direction of the flat plate portion 440 may be to the left or right of the insertion port 420, or may be toward the back of the insertion port 420.

In the product delivery system including the collection device 400 according to this embodiment, a flat plate portion 440 is provided on which customers can work. This eliminates the need to provide a separate work table for customers to work on in the dry cleaning store, which allows for space saving in the dry cleaning store. In addition, collected items are shielded so that they cannot be seen from the input port 420 even when the door of the input port 420 is open, which prevents theft of items. In the product delivery system including the collection device 400 according to this embodiment, a series of processes from picking up items to providing the items can be performed without the dealer meeting the customer, making it possible to realize a non-face-to-face operation in the dry cleaning store.

<Modification of the second embodiment>
6(A) and 6(B), a take-over device 400A, which is a modified example of the take-over device 400 in the product delivery system according to the second embodiment, will be described. In the following, when the configuration of the take-over device 400A is the same as that of the take-over device 400, the description of the configuration of the take-over device 400A may be omitted.

6(A) and 6(B) are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the take-off device 400A of the product delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 6(A) and FIG. 6(B) are schematic diagrams illustrating the internal configuration of the box body 410A of the take-off device 400A. As shown in FIG. 6(A), the take-off device 400A includes a flat plate section 440A, a conveying section 470A, an imaging section 450, and a collection box 460. The flat plate section 440A is installed at the same position as the lower part of the input port 420A provided in the box body 410A, or at a lower position than the lower part of the input port 420A. The flat plate section 440A includes two flat plate members. The two flat plate members are arranged so that one of the long sides faces each other, and the other of the long sides is attached to the box body 410A in a rotatable manner, for example, by a hinge or hinge. When the door of the insertion slot 420A is open, as shown in FIG. 6A, the two flat plate members are controlled so that they are fixed approximately parallel to the floor surface. In other words, the flat plate portion 440A forms a single plane. Therefore, customers can place items from the insertion slot 420A on the plane formed by the flat plate portion 440A.

The conveying section 470A is installed below the flat plate section 440A. The conveying section 470A is, for example, a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor. One end of the conveying section 470A is connected to the collection box 460. When the door of the insertion port 420A is closed, the two flat plate members are controlled to rotate as shown in FIG. 6B, and the placed items fall onto the conveying section 470A. That is, the two flat plate members of the flat plate section 440A are opened from the center to the left and right, with both ends as axes. The conveying section 470A conveys the fallen items to the collection box 460. As a result, the items are collected in the collection box 460.

The imaging unit 450 may capture an image of an object on the conveying unit 470A and generate image data. In this case, the control device 300 can receive the image data from the imaging unit 450 and determine whether or not an object is present in the image data. When it is determined that no object is present on the conveying unit 470A, the control device 300 may control the two flat plate members of the flat plate unit 440A to close.

In the product delivery system including the pickup device 400A according to this modified example, the flat plate portion 440A can form a work surface (flat surface) on which customers can work. This eliminates the need to provide a separate work table for customers to work at the dry cleaning store, which saves space in the dry cleaning store. The pickup device 400A is also provided with a transport section 470A, which can reliably transport items to the collection box 460. In the product delivery system including the pickup device 400A according to this modified example, the company can carry out a series of processes from picking up items to providing the items without meeting customers, which makes it possible to realize a non-face-to-face environment at the dry cleaning store.

The various embodiments of the present invention can be combined as appropriate to the extent that they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, if a person skilled in the art has appropriately added or removed components or modified the design based on each embodiment, or if a process has been added or omitted or conditions have been changed, this also falls within the scope of the present invention as long as the gist of the present invention is maintained.

Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the aspects of each of the above-mentioned embodiments, if they are clear from the description in this specification or can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art, they are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention.

10: Product delivery system, 100: Hanger conveyor, 110: Conveyor rail, 111: Conveyor rail support part, 120: Conveyor rack, 121: Conveyor metal fitting, 122: Movable connecting part, 123: Opening, 130: Reader, 200: Delivery device, 210: Box body, 220: Delivery port, 221, 221A, 221B, 221C: Door, 230: Display unit, 240: Reader, 250: Sensor, 300: Control device, 310: Information processing unit, 320: Conveyor control unit, 330: Door control unit, 340: Memory unit, 341: Product storage database, 342: Customer database, 343: Contractor database, 400, 400A: Pick-up device, 410, 410A: Box body, 420, 420A: Insertion port, 430: Operation section, 440, 440A: Flat plate section, 441: Support section, 442: Cylinder, 443: Side wall section, 450: Imaging section, 460: Collection box, 470A: Transport section, 500: Hanging partition board, 800: Product, 810: Product identifier, 910: Customer information terminal, 920: Supplier information terminal

Claims (5)

a hanger conveyor for storing products by hanging them between two partitions and for moving the products;
A delivery device is installed adjacent to the hanger conveyor and has a delivery port for delivering the product;
A control device for controlling the hanger conveyor and the delivery device,
The delivery device further includes a sensor that measures a distance between the two partition plates and generates distance data;
The delivery port is provided with a first door,
The control device controls the first door so that the delivery gate has an opening width corresponding to the distance data. the hanger conveyor includes a first reader that acquires product identification information from a product identifier attached to the product;
The product delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device generates a product storage identifier including the product identification information and transmits the product storage identifier to an information terminal of the customer. The delivery device includes a second reader that acquires identification information of a position where the product is hung from the product storage identifier,
The product delivery system according to claim 2 , wherein the control device controls the hanger conveyor so as to move the product to the position of the first door based on the identification information. The system further includes a pickup device for picking up an item from a customer before the service is provided by the product vendor,
The take-off device is
A main body having an inlet for inserting the item;
A second door provided at the insertion port;
a flat plate portion disposed inside the main body on which the customer places the article through the insertion opening;
A side wall portion is provided below the flat plate portion along two opposing sides of the flat plate portion;
a collection box in which the item is collected;
The product delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein when the second door is closed with the product placed on the flat plate portion, the flat plate portion is tilted so as to drop the product into the return box. The system further includes a pickup device for picking up an item from a customer before the service is provided by the product vendor,
The take-off device is
A main body having an inlet for inserting the item;
A second door provided at the insertion port;
a flat plate portion disposed inside the main body on which the customer places the article through the insertion opening;
a transport conveyor disposed below the flat plate portion and configured to transport the article;
A collection box connected to the transport conveyor and collected by the dealer,
The product delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein when the second door is closed with the item placed on the flat plate portion, the item falls onto the transport conveyor, and the transport conveyor transports the item to the return box.

Images